About USAGE

The international partners from Sweden (SLU), Germany (TUM) and Italy (UNIBZ) formed a work group together with BOKU. Their aim is the creation of an international training programme for Agricultural Technology in the 21st century. 

In March 2019, the proposal for a transnational collaborative strategic partnership for higher and further education was approved to provide innovative outcomes and exchange of best practices in the field of digital agricultural engineering (the project is called “USAGE – Up-Skilling Agricultural Engineering in Europe”).

For the development of the curriculum and the implementation of lifelong learning, outstanding knowledge and competences from universities, industries and leading companies are selected and brought into the project. This ensures a broad range of highly qualified education, which is necessary for excellent teaching and learning methods, as well as stronger and more sustainable cooperation between universities and companies.

 

Project Goals

The main objective of USAGE is to enable smart, sustainable and inclusive growth through continuing education, innovative pedagogical approaches and access to experiences. Therefore, the implementation of various modules on digital transformation and the development of a curriculum for an internationally modularized master's degree in lifelong learning are being carried out. The cooperation of outstanding experts from universities, industry and leading companies ensures a broad range of higher education, as well as a closer exchange between universities and companies. Ideas and needs from the sector are brought into academia, both in terms of new inventions and the need for trained professionals.

A key element of USAGE is the promotion of learning mobility between countries and disciplines. This inspires more engineers to choose a career in smart agriculture and more agronomists to further specialize in technological topics.

For the development of the guidelines for the implementation of a LLL approach in the field of digital transformation and for the validation of non-formal and informal learning, we expect participants with different educational and professional backgrounds as well as qualified farmworkers, farmers and students, but also people with limited job opportunities/cultural diversity (e.g. non-EU students, immigrants).

Policies on validation of non-formal and informal learning, inclusion, LLL approach, use of new teaching tools and networking will be defined and peer-reviewed to ensure access to education and experience. Furthermore, innovative pedagogical approaches and methods are implemented.